A new social enterprise is set to launch on World Health Day, aiming to tackle inactivity and health inequality through a unique fitness model built around attendance.
The Confidence Academy: Get Britain Moving CIC, founded by Rayhana Sultan, introduces a “commitment deposit” system for group exercise sessions. Participants pay a small upfront fee to reserve their place, which is returned in full when they attend.
The initiative is tailored towards beginners, those returning to fitness, and individuals facing barriers such as low confidence, anxiety or demanding lifestyles. Its core aim is to promote consistency while keeping sessions financially accessible.
Sultan, who works as a finance manager in local government and is a qualified fitness instructor currently working towards a Level 3 Personal Training qualification, developed the idea after rebuilding her life following time spent in prison.
“After prison, rebuilding my life meant taking control of my health and creating structure and discipline,” she said.
“This initiative is about helping others do the same — giving people a reason to show up for themselves, and rewarding them when they do.”
The model is designed to remove some of the cost barriers associated with traditional fitness programmes, which often involve subscriptions or higher upfront fees, while also encouraging accountability through attendance.
The launch coincides with ongoing concerns about inactivity levels across the UK. Data from Sport England indicates that around one in four adults in England are classed as inactive, engaging in less than 30 minutes of exercise per week. Participation is also closely linked to socioeconomic factors, with lower activity rates in more deprived communities.
Initial sessions will feature beginner-friendly Zumba classes delivered in London and Cambridgeshire, with plans to expand depending on demand and engagement.
The initiative has been supported by Project ReMake, which works with individuals who have experience of the criminal justice system to help them move into entrepreneurship.
“Rayhana has a passion to help people meet the challenge of inactivity and change their lives for the better in an innovative way”, said Andrew Arthur who is her business mentor at Project ReMake and director at Brite Energy.
“Ray’s genuine spirit and passion to combine her financial background and personal experiences to pursue social entrepreneurship is truly inspiring. She has true,unbreakable determination to create a positive social change by combatting one of the largest inequalities in Britain. I am so grateful to work with her, and I am excited to see TCA grow!” said Hayley Chan, legal student advisor in her second year of Law LLB at Queen Mary University of London.
“As a student advisor, it’s been a privilege to support Ray in developing The Confidence Academy. Her determination, resilience, and responsiveness to feedback make her an outstanding entrepreneur to work with”, said Mrithyunjai Sudarshan, one of her student advisors who is a final year student in Accounting & Finance at Queen Mary University of London.
Waiting lists have now opened for the initial weekend sessions, with places allocated according to availability.
London – https://form.jotform.com/260876092172360
Cambridge – https://form.jotform.com/260875769729378
